Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 2783 Location: Chino, CA
Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 9:53 am Post subject: Saw Mike Landau and Robben Ford
Well, finally got to see these two legends in action and on the same stage several hours ago! This was really Robben's gig and Mike was in more of a sideman's role, but Mike got to play quite a bit (even though he was quite reserved in deference to Robben and undermixed by the house mix engineer) and it was practically a religious experience. I get it about Landau now. He is just amazing - unfrigginbelievable! Now I understand why someone like Scott Henderson looks up to Mike. Now I understand the Landau fanatics.
This was Robben's gig and he's a great player, but for me, Landau was just it! Mike's combination of tone, taste, phrasing, and creativity - I believe- has no peer. There were times during his solos that I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. There was a certain beauty in his playing that I've never heard from anyone before. And for me, that's saying a lot when my 3 favorite players have been Guthrie, Metheny and Jeff Beck for quite some time with Greg Howe and Scott Henderson very close by. But Landau has, overnight, nudged himself in this group with the sheer beauty in his playing.
I don't know how else to describe Mike's playing. It has nothing to do with speed and the type of chops we describe with players like Guthrie, Lane, DeLucia, Holdsworth, McLaughlin, Lagrene, etc. It's something different altogether. It's about the mind, the feel, the instincts, and the heart. Ultimately, that's what matters the most. Landau has a very special kind of gift - the talent to say so much with so much depth, feel, tone, and incredible creativity. I'm absolutely flabbergasted. The last time I was affected this much was when I saw Guthrie performing for the first time at the TM/Cornford clinic on Jan 24, 2004. _________________ Ed Yoon
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Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 2783 Location: Chino, CA
Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:32 am Post subject:
sieuminh wrote:
right, I'll have to listen to his CD again then.
I got Tales from the Buldge a long time ago, but could never get into it. Maybe I was expecting another chop fest.
From what I can remember his playing, phrasing and tone are all very sophisticated.
I know what you mean. I have all of Landau's solo albums and couldn't quite get what the fuss was all about. 'Tales from the Bulge' is rather atmospheric with a lot of textural kind of thing going on. It's very 'LA' sounding - nice soundtrack for driving on the LA freeways at night. It's more about moods and great guitar tones than real ripping playing.
I didn't quite get it until I saw him live and watched him trade extended solos with Robben. My description of his chops would be that he's kinda like Jeff Beck in that he has all the technique necessary to execute great musical ideas. To me, he just sounded like he was composing great music on the spot, not assembling a bunch of licks to fit over a chord progression. That's the best way for me to describe what his playing is like live. _________________ Ed Yoon
Certified Guthrie Fan-atic
BOING Music LLC - Managing Partner
.strandberg* Guitars USA
Ed Yoon Consulting & Management
Guitar Center Inc.
Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 173 Location: Manchester, England
Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 10:23 am Post subject:
alexkhan wrote:
sieuminh wrote:
right, I'll have to listen to his CD again then.
I got Tales from the Buldge a long time ago, but could never get into it. Maybe I was expecting another chop fest.
From what I can remember his playing, phrasing and tone are all very sophisticated.
I know what you mean. I have all of Landau's solo albums and couldn't quite get what the fuss was all about. 'Tales from the Bulge' is rather atmospheric with a lot of textural kind of thing going on. It's very 'LA' sounding - nice soundtrack for driving on the LA freeways at night. It's more about moods and great guitar tones than real ripping playing.
I didn't quite get it until I saw him live and watched him trade extended solos with Robben. My description of his chops would be that he's kinda like Jeff Beck in that he has all the technique necessary to execute great musical ideas. To me, he just sounded like he was composing great music on the spot, not assembling a bunch of licks to fit over a chord progression. That's the best way for me to describe what his playing is like live.
Well my favourite studio album of Landau's (or featuring him) has always been the Karisma album Forever (in the arms of love), that's one you should check out Ed (if you haven't already) but I mostly listen to live albums such as Mike Landau live 2000 (feat Jimmy Johnson, Toss Panos), Live at the Baked Potato with Vinnie Colaiuta, Greg Mathieson and Abe Laboriel and Karisma's Document also live (also feat Vinnie). So if you haven't heard these albums, I'd check them out, as Landau is incredible on all of them. And his tone just rips your face right off (in a good way of course)...
I used to follow Landau when he was known mostly as a session player along with other hired guns on the scene Dann Huff, Paul Jackson jnr, Dean Parks and of course the tremendous Steve Lukather who's another of my faves.
Oh and I'm a massive fan of Robben Ford's too ever since I heard the yellowjacket's debut album and then later with Talk to your Daughter and the fantatstic Robben Ford and the Blue Line album.
Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 2783 Location: Chino, CA
Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2006 1:06 am Post subject:
Thanks for the suggestions! I do have the Live at the BP 2000. I'll have to check out your other suggestions. I have to say that when I saw him live several weeks ago, he just clicked with my musical sensibilities. It's really hard to explain why some players have that sort of an effect on you and some don't no matter how great of a player one is. _________________ Ed Yoon
Certified Guthrie Fan-atic
BOING Music LLC - Managing Partner
.strandberg* Guitars USA
Ed Yoon Consulting & Management
Guitar Center Inc.
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This was really Robben's gig and Mike was in more of a sideman's role, but Mike got to play quite a bit (even though he was quite reserved in deference to Robben and undermixed by the house mix engineer) and it was practically a religious experience. I get it about Landau now. He is just amazing - 
It's more about moods and great guitar tones than real ripping playing.
